Use of the College Mail System

The Mount Holyoke College Mail Delivery System operates for the purpose of receiving and delivering College related correspondence to and from the United States Postal Service and also delivers U.S. Mail to the residents of the Campus.

U.S. Mail that is personal in nature which is being sent by employees and residents of the College should be mailed using the blue U.S. Postal Service collection boxes located throughout the campus.

The College's Mail Distribution System should not be used for the distribution of personal mail (posted or not), parcels, or any item not directly related to the operation of the College (with the exception of mail for on campus residents). Using the College's Mail Delivery System for purposes beyond what it is intended for adversely affects the level of service we are able to provide our customers.

Cash is not permitted to be sent through the MHC mail system. Please make other arrangements for cash transactions.

Standard Mail Policy

The college does not deliver "Standard Mail" during holiday breaks or summer break. "Standard Mail" includes catalogs and other mail commonly referred to as "junk mail". The college also reserves the right not to deliver "Standard Mail" when mail volume or staffing shortages may cause First-Class Mail and Periodical Mail to be seriously delayed or undelivered. "Standard Mail" is recycled during periods when it is not possible to deliver.

Chain Letters

MHC Mail Services will not deliver chain letters. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but mailing money to participate) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute.

Hand Trucks

Hand trucks are available to students picking up packages shipped to Auxiliary Services at no charge. Students who just need to use a handtruck for other purposes may rent one from Auxiliary Services. The rental rate is $5 per hour. Hand trucks are released on a first come - first serve basis. Hand trucks must be signed for and may only be used for one hour maximum. Students failing to return a hand truck will be charged the additional hourly rate if applicable or the current replacement cost.

Forward Staff Mail

Auxiliary Services processes and delivers official Mount Holyoke College business mail and student mail. The monitoring of the contents of mail is left up to the good judgment of the College community. We assume that all campus mail in our departmental mail system is official College business and not personal business.

Assuming that all mail in our system is official College business, we further assume that all mail in our system is related to the business of the department to which it is addressed and not to the individual.

Therefore, all mail in our departmental mail system will be delivered to the department to which it is addressed regardless of the individual named on the envelope.

If the department receiving the mail determines from the contents of the envelope that it should follow an individual that has changed departments, the piece must be re-addressed to the new department location and placed back into the departmental mail system . Otherwise, it must be processed as business related to the department to which it is addressed.

This also includes mail for people that may have left a department so many years ago that no current employees remember; which requires each department to keep an historical file of past employees with forwarding addresses.

Forward Student Mail

Student mail forwarding for summer begins after graduation and reunions have ended. Temporary mail forwarding orders may be submitted throughout the academic year.

NOTE: Mail is automatically forwarded to the mailing address on file with the Registrar's Office. If you do NOT wish your mail to be forwarded to this address and have an alternative mailing address for the summer, please fill out an online mail forwarding form.

Students who have graduated must register all address changes directly with the Alumnae Office.

Mail may be forwarded to an alternative address for a maximum of 90 days unless on approved leave from the college.

We will attempt to forward college / graduate school catalogs and applications, CD, video and book club mailings which require a timely response even if they arrive other than First-Class Mail or Periodical Mail (Note: the U.S. Postal Service has the final control over what classes of mail may be forwarded and may choose not to process bulk rate forwarded mail).

Packages, boxes, etc. that arrive via the U.S. Postal Service are forwarded. Anything arriving via other carriers is returned to the sender with a forwarding address if available. It is the obligation of the sender to forward these items.

Bulk mail is not forwarded. Bulk mail includes most catalogs, solicitations, and non-profit mailings. Bulk mail is recycled.

Mail for students that keep their boxes active for the summer is pulled and distributed first. All other mail is forwarded on a daily basis.

If you need more information, you can contact Auxiliary Services at extension 2462.

Student Mail Boxes and Keys

Student mail boxes are located on the 2nd level of the Blanchard Campus Center. All resident students are assigned a mailbox with a key and are responsible for picking up their mail each day. If a key is lost, a fee of $15 must be paid for a replacement and the Campus Police Department is alerted.

Note: Students keep the same mailbox & key for their entire stay at the college.Students should only turn in their mailbox key if they are graduating or leaving the campus permanently. Keys should not be turned in for breaks (ie: summer, November break, etc.) The $15 replacement fee will be charged to students who request a new key regardless of the reason.

Keys must be returned upon graduation or permanent departure from the campus. At the beginning of the academic year, each student receives a letter with a mailbox assignment and explanation of the proper address format. It is extremely important that all mail arriving for students be addressed using the proper address format. Improperly addressed mail may be delayed and/or returned to the sender.

Notices, signs, notes, flyers may not be taped, staples, glued or attached in any way to the mailboxes, counters or walls surrounding the mailbox area. Approved flyers and notices may be placed on framed bulletin boards only

Title 18, United States Code Section 1705 Destruction of Letter Boxes or Mail

Whoever willfully or maliciously injures, tears down or destroys any letter box or other receptacle intended or used for the receipt or delivery of mail on any mail route, or breaks open the same, or willfully or maliciously injures, defaces or destroys any mail deposited therein, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years.

Student Organization Mailboxes

When authorized by the Office of Student Programs, a recognized student organization may request a special address and mailbox for the organization's mail. The request should be made through the Office of Student Programs who will coordinate with Auxiliary Services.

There are a limited number of boxes available for student organizations, so not every organization may receive a mailbox. It is the responsibility of the organization to appoint a member to check the mailbox daily and remove any mail from the box. The mailboxes are located on the 3rd level of the Blanchard Campus Center.

Notices and Flyers Distribution

Departments or student organizations may send flyers and notices to the campus community free of charge. Please email the Supervisor of Campus Mail Processing for size and content restrictions and also for current number of copies needed for your target group. Flyers and notices must be delivered to Mail Services 3 days before the requested distribution date. Any questionable content in a mailing will be brought to the attention of the Dean of the College for a determination on whether the piece may be distributed.

Help us to GO GREEN!

Be environmentally responsible with campus wide distributions... consider sending 1 or 2 flyers to each dorm, office or department for posting instead of sending one to each student or staff and faculty member.

Outside vendors may distribute approved materials to the student mailboxes for a fee (see price schedule below). Approved material for staff and departments will be distributed free of charge.

Target Group(s) Price:

Any 1 class of students $25 Any 2 classes of students $50 Any 3 classes of students $75 All Students $100